A fair amount of attention has been rightfully paid to the opioid abuse that has plagued communities in Pennsylvania — including Butler County — and across the United States.

But in October, we turn our attention to another stigmatized scourge that affects an even larger percentage of the American public — mental health issues.

Last month’s National Suicide Prevention Week — from Sept. 8 to 14 — aimed to inform the public about suicide prevention.

Now in its 30th year, Mental Illness Awareness Week — which runs through Saturday — is a U.S. Congress-established campaign to educate and increase awareness about mental illness.

Statistics prove that focusing on mental illness should be a year-round effort.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 U.S. adults — translating to roughly 47 million people — experience mental illness each year, while one in 25 adults have serious mental health issues.

One in six U.S. youths between the ages of 6 and 17 have a mental health disorder, and suicide is the second leading cause of death — behind unintentional injury — among people between the ages of 10 and 34.

That’s a lot of people struggling.

In the wake of the numerous mass shootings across the nation in recent years, mental health issues have been discussed almost as much as gun control.

Butler County has a number of resources for people suffering from mental health issues, from Butler Health System’s Mental Health Services and the Grapevine Center to Zelienople’s Glade Run Lutheran Services — which was recently profiled in the Butler Eagle for its at-risk youth services — and the Gaiser Center, a site that focuses on drug and alcohol addiction, both of which are frequently linked to mental illness.

As part of Mental Illness Awareness Week, the Grapevine Center held its 2019 Remembrance and Celebration of Life Rally on Wednesday. It included an update on the state of mental health in Butler and commemorated the lives of seven Grapevine clients who died in the past year.

We hope the services offered in the county enable family members and friends to recognize when loved ones have mental health issues. Breaking the stigma often attached to mental illness can help those suffering overcome reluctance to get treatment and improve their quality of life.

The county has stepped up its efforts in recent years to combat the opioid crisis. We hope county and state leaders recognize that mental illness is a crisis that deserves its own share of resources and attention.